According to the state of the art, in the case of mobile telephones, SIM (Subscriber Identification Module) cards are used for user identification. The assigned reader has a tray which is adapted to the size of SIM cards. A push/push function for locking and unlocking the SIM card in the tray is problematic because then the SIM cards protrude only about 2 mm from the opening of the tray and thus are difficult to handle.
Furthermore, SD cards are known as storage medium. They are suitable for storing music, for example, in the MP3 format, driver's log data and/or navigational data. The operation with data recall or data input can be done through keys, knobs or multifunctions of the operating elements provided in a car radio.
A reader for an SD card has a tray into which the SD card can be inserted only in the correct position, which is achieved by appropriate design of the guides provided on the tray and on the edges of the SD card. In this case, a push/push function for locking and unlocking the SD card in the corresponding reader presents no problem for the user.
The cards of the first type, especially SIM cards, have a smaller size than the cards of the second type, especially SD cards. Correspondingly, the opening slits of the reader also have a different width and, optionally, a different height.
In vehicles, especially integrated in car radios, both of the above card types or similar card types should be able to be used for communication, information or entertainment. It is not preferable to provide two separate reading devices for these, for reasons of placement and design. In addition, there is a danger that, inadvertently, the user will insert the SIM card, which is smaller than the SD card, into the tray of the SD reader and then the card will disappear.
DE 43 36 522 C2 describes a card reader/writer device for common use of cards which are not touched or are touched. The cards serve for access control and are required by the reading device.
In DE 199 25 076 A1, a double SIM card reader is described. There is no provision for reading of cards of a different size.
Card-reading devices for chip cards and/or SIM cards with different thickness are known from DE 195 16 987 A1 and DE 199 30 389 A1. Apart from their thickness, the cards to be recognized have the same size.
In the publication MID 2000 Molded Interconnect Devices, 4th International Congress, Sep. 27–28, 2000, Erlangen Germany, ISBN 3-87525-135-0, it is described that, using the MID technology, three-dimensionally structured switches can be produced and that, in these, conducting paths can be applied on a three-dimensionally designed plastic part that can serve as carrier.
The task of the invention is to propose a reading device of the type mentioned at the outset, which is constructed so that both or several types of cards can be used alternatively.